We learned that land use around our forest of 120 miles between Hull and city still retains ancient trees despite Liverpool which will be planted with 50 many going for items such as pit props million trees over the next 25 years. The and fires. first trees have been planted in the hills above Bolton. Trees as well as being Newsletter Ted Hancock beautiful absorb CO2 and help to reduce The Construction of Totley Tunnel carbon emissions but it is thought by 9th January 2019 some the natural way of increasing trees Rivelin Valley Conservation Group is by their seeds rather than by humans The 3.5-mile tunnel was built between planting saplings. Also, trees that are Winter 2019 no 109 Contacts 1888 and 1893 between Totley on the planted are more likely to dry out as they Chairman Graham Appleby 01142660203 outskirts of Sheffield and Grindleford for are not as well connected to the soil as Task Force Coordinator Keith Kendall 01142307144 Through The Chair Membership C&G Roe 01142665473 the new Hope Valley rail line. Work fallen seeds. Oliver Rackham, the great Newsletter M Sanderson 01142306790 Treasurer David Lyon 01142302660 started at each end and the contractor woodland expert believed self-sown seeds Welcome to our Winter newsletter. In foreman, Thomas Oliver, bet that the by birds and mammals are best. Group Recorder Joan Buckland 01142305829 October the RVCG were successful in a Speaker Organiser Irene Harrison 01142335780 tunnels would meet each other within £20k Heritage Lottery Fund bid to help Mail: [email protected] 5 ”. The result was 4.5” and so he won M Sanderson improve various aspects of the Rivelin Web: http://rivelinvalley.org.uk his bet. Valley. A summary of our current plans The navvies were local men or itinerants The RVCG would like to thank can be read in the enclosed article but if Task Team who travelled around as railways grew Valleyside Garden Centre for you have any further suggestions then I and many were Irish. Some brought their continued support will be pleased to hear from you. We The British winter brings us defoliated their families and some married local are bound by strict regulation and trees and a blanket of leaves covering girls a remained living here. Gelignite require the permission of the Sheffield the ground. However dead leaves and was used to break up the rock and then twigs tend to accumulate at the sluices City Council who are the land owners. the rubble had to be brought to the The RVCG Task team will have a really which control the force of water into the surface. interesting and important function over goits of our remaining mill dams. Smallpox arrived in 1885 and accidents the next couple of years fulfilling the It’s amazing how effective a few leaves caused problems but the tunnel lives on and twigs are at slowing the force of project objectives. today. water and without human intervention, Thank you again to Irene Harrison in the dams would dry out. A Celebrity Once Lived in Crosspool! her choice of speakers for our recent Therefore, in November we set about You might have heard Michel Palin Open Meetings which have been very our annual event, with rakes and recently on Saturday Live, Radio 4. well attended. See the programme for spades, of cleaning the sluices and He spoke of taking bike rides around up and coming events. One important removing larger debris that would have the area and it was obvious he was item in the RVCG calendar is our 28th washed down in the winter rains. talking about the Rivelin/Crosspool area AGM where the work of the RVCG is Sometimes it is necessary to lift the because he talked of the beautiful celebrated and the committee is sluice gate to let the power of the water countryside and enjoyed walking on the reselected for the next 12 months. As free up the blockage and there is some hilly slopes down to the river. heart-warming gratification in seeing the previously mentioned, there may be Once I had to deliver a newsletter in the opportunities for new committee water suddenly burst through and swell Watt Lane area and the resident told me members. If you are interested or know the goit with water that would that this was where he lived as a someone who may be interested, then eventually make its way to the mill pond schoolboy. Michael would be seen that would gently begin to fill. please contact me. The RVCG has been running for the bus in Crosspool on his blessed with a stable committee for Winter is also a good time to inspect the way to Birkdale School. many years who have brought an structures of the dams, river banks and M eclectic mix of knowledge and skills footpaths that are usually hidden by Sanderson which continue to make the RVCG foliage in summer to help us plan future successful. task days. Possible New Forest Graham Appleby Graham Appleby The Government has plans for a new RVCG Chairman Wood Lane Countryside Centre in 2009 when an artwork called and North Western Railway abandoned Donations “Harvest” depicting giant wheat ears a scheme promoted by them to blowing in the wind was erected on a construct a railway from Buxton to RVCG usually take part in the annual Thank you for your donations this year Xmas event held here, but this year, the that already amount to £152. It will be Rotherham Traffic Island in celebration Sheffield. house is having a makeover. put to good use. of his famous “Corn Law Rhymes”. The Route suggested was up the Rivelin Joan Buckland and I have made things Valley and would have passed within a with children earning a little cash for News Stories short distance of the course. RVCG and enjoying a walk around to We are always pleased to hear from you I imagine the Sheffield Racing Company see all the other events and stalls – a in this newsletter. Many of you have believed that there was some good start to Christmas. Their homity lived in the area for many years and probability of this project being p ies, taken from a recipe from the have interesting stories to tell. It does resuscitated, which would have greatly wonderful Cranks shop in London, not matter how long or short. enhanced the value of the property and unfortunately now closed, was very made access to the grounds easier. After the failure of the racecourse the popular. Please contact: This building has quite a history. It was M Sanderson 01142306790 area was used as a World War1 training originally owned along with other land email: [email protected] ground for the Artillery and the around the area by the Duke of Norfolk, The famous rock at the foot of Blackbrook Hallamshire Rifles which meant good stream bearing the name ‘Elliott’ business for the two local public houses, when it was considered that there was a need for a local residence. Later it was Ebenezer Elliot The Three Merry Lads and the used by a variety of tenants. Rivelin Valley was a place that was Sportsman. Thenedoned Georgian house was constructed in loved by the poet Ebenezer Elliot. (1781 Redmires Racecourse The next use of the racecourse was as a 1805 and was classically symmetrical, – 1849), known as the ‘Corn Law Around 1870, a company was formed, prisoner of war camp where hundreds of the “Sheffield Racing Company” which but later enlarged and included a barn Rhymer’ who was world famous for his prisoners were interned in wooden huts for the Duke’s farming activities. lead in the fight to repeal the corn laws decided to erect a racecourse on the during the last war. There was also a pit for the now illegal which caused hardship and starvation to south side of the valley on land at Today the racecourse has been turned Lodgemoor opposite the Three Merry cock fighting. the poor. into a camp for Travellers, the Council Then a succession of tenants and One of his favourite haunts was Lads, after the closure of the one at having laid down concrete bases and owners occupied the building. Professor Blackbrook Stream that runs from the Broomhill. A grandstand was built toilet facilities. and Mrs Statham were known for their Hallamshire Golf Course to Rivelin. This surrounded by a high wall and stabling for the horses was provided on a farm garden parties in the 1920’s. can be reached via a public footpath Thank you to Mary Richards for the The Countryside Management Service which starts just below Rivelin Lodge on aptly named “Racecourse Farm” (now two articles above. now has the building and it has various Lodge Lane, after walking on the path demolished) on Soughley Lane. uses . for about ten minutes, the brook can be The first meeting was held in 1875 and Recent Events lasted for about three days. Thousands W hen I was a teacher, my class spent heard tinkling below, it is a bit of a Open Meeting Ian Rotherham an enjoyable time there and the least scramble to get down there where you of people came to the races, many on Professor of Environmental academic children showed great will find a stone with ELLIOT carved on foot, but those who could afford it Geography at Hallam University would come by horse drawn Shadow Woods proficiency with practical skills such as it although over the years the letters wagonettes. Unfortunately, the horses th cleaning the pond and feeding the have eroded somewhat.